It's extra important to stay hydrated during these hot summer months. Turn boring water into a refreshing summer cooler with the addition of fresh fruits, vegetables, and herbs from the market. Infused waters are a healthy, hydrating alternative to sugary soft drinks and juices and kid approved. Grab an extra cucumber, a sprig of mint, and bunch of basil and start infusing!

How to Make Fruit Infused WatersAdd desired fresh sliced (and peeled) fruits to 1/2 gallon or a whole gallon of water. For best flavor, leave at least 4 hours or overnight in the refrigerator to let the flavors of the fruit infuse into the water. Some of the recipes below are written for a half gallon jar, others for a gallon jar.You can double or halve any of them to make more or less. Also, these recipes are just suggestions and fruit waters are based on your taste preferences so experiment and enjoy!If you drink the water within the first day, you can add more filtered water and re-infuse to get a second use out of the fruits and herbs

Cucumber MintThinly slice one cucumber. Add the sliced cucumbers to a 1/2 gallon glass jar, add 8 fresh mint leaves, muddled, and fill with filtered water. Stir gently and place in refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Citrus Blueberry/BlackberrySlice two oranges into thin slices (leave the rind on for better flavor). Add sliced oranges and 1 cup of blueberries to a gallon size glass jar. Add filtered water to fill the jar and stir gently. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours and store in refrigerator.

Pineapple MintPeel and thinly slice about 1/4 of a pineapple. The more thinly sliced the pineapple, the more flavor it will infuse. Add to a 1/2 gallon size glass jar with 10-12 leaves of fresh mint, muddled. Add filtered water to fill and stir until well mixed. Store in refrigerator.Watermelon BasilAdd about 2 cups of finely chopped fresh watermelon (without rind) to a gallon size glass jar. Add 15 leaves of muddled basil and filtered water to fill. Store in fridge and allow at least 4 hours to infuse.